Multi-Year Analysis Plan Page 69
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80HQ/Field Managed Analysis (WBS 6.2.1)
No MYTP write-up available. Information extracted from the FY05 AOP submission.
National Laboratory Cross-cutting Analysis (WBS 6.2.2)
Project Overview: The National Laboratory Cross-cutting analysis project covers work in areas
that does not easily fit into a single research project. The majority of process engineering and
analysis is performed as part of the research platforms; refer to the specific platform analysis
projects for details. The integrated engineering and analysis team performs crosscutting analysis
that benefits multiple Biomass projects and external collaborators, and provides direction and
focus to the overall research program by evaluating the technical, economic, and environmental
aspects of biomass utilization via integrated pathways.
Specific activities include:
Biorefinery process design and optimization
With the integration of the former biopower and biofuels programs and the efforts in identifying
candidate products from biomass, we now have the information in one place to develop emerging
and advanced biorefinery process designs for plants producing a combination of power, fuels and
chemicals. The Biomass program is currently working with existing biorefineries (dry mills, wet
mills). A stage 1 analysis utilizing products with relative values based on a primary product (e.g.
ethanol) will be performed first to understand the sensitivity of market value and size on the
product slate. Then 4-5 emerging biorefinery process designs with integrated heat and power
utilization will be developed, using the information from all platforms and the feedstock interface
program. Mass and energy balances will be developed along with capital and operating cost
estimates at a stage 2 level of analysis. Modules for syngas production and utilization will be
added to BioRefine, a spreadsheet based linear program that currently contains sugar production
modules. When new production technology designs (such as pyrolysis oil production) are
completed in the platform analysis projects, they will be added to the biorefinery process design
work and to BioRefine. Up to 4 model products will be selected to complete the process design
from the products platform Top 10 analysis. The purpose of this selection is not to pick winners,
but to find model products that will allow a complete analysis of the biorefinery process designs.
From this process design, modeling and product optimization work, 1-2 possible pathways to a
competitive biorefinery will be identified which can become the basis for designs in industry-led
projects with the partner’s selection of products. A second round of biorefinery development is
envisioned using advanced technologies in the FY07-08 timeframe.
Emerging technologies assessment
The biomass scientific community is continually developing technologies that could substantially
improve the production of biomass intermediates. Initial assessment of emerging technologies
that are not currently part of a research platform but have potential to improve biomass utilization
is performed under this project to ensure biomass research stays at the cutting edge, reducing the
time to commercialization and optimizing R&D dollars. A stage 1 level analysis will performed
using available process and cost data and optimistic assumptions to create a best case scenario. If
this scenario is feasible, then sensitivity analyses are performed to determine the cost sensitivity
to process parameters such as yield. With the analysis results, the program can determine if the
process should be added to the R&D portfolio. Catalytic production of ethanol from syngas is an
example of one such technology. This will be an ongoing task and the results feed both the
research platforms and the biorefinery analysis discussed above.
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